Jul. 26, 2007

Head cook of the 1086th Transportation Company, Sgt. Bazile puts on his game-face as he prepares to compete in the regional Phillip Connelly Award culinary competition. Having won first place in the regional competition, the 1086th is poised to compete in the national competition this October / U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Aaron LeBlanc

Written by

Sgt. Aaron LeBlanc,

165th Combat Sustainment and Support Battalion Public Affairs Representative

Soldiers of the 1086th Transportation Company manage to completely erect the field kitchen before storm-clouds roll in. The 1086th recently won first place in both the state and regional Phillip Connelly Award culinary competitions / U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Aaron LeBlanc

Cooking straight through a severe downpour, a water-logged Sgt. Reginald Bazile of Bunkie, La., says that the key to being a good cook in the Army is constantly staying busy, no matter what. Bazile said he has been passionate about cooking since the age of seven / U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Aaron LeBlanc

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BOSSIER CITY – Cooks of the Louisiana National Guard’s 1086th Transportation Company recently took first place in both the state and regional levels of the Phillip Connelly Award Culinary Competition.

The 1086th recently completed the regional competition in the woods of Camp Beauregard in Pineville. Soldiers of the 1086th erected a field kitchen, a dining tent, ran mock-security details, cooked pork-chops and fed soldiers, civilians and judges, all while shrugging off a severe thunderstorm.

“There’s a lot more that goes into this competition than cooking,” said Chief Warrant Officer Paul Gilmore, the officer assigned to this year’s regional competition.

“We incorporate a gambit of elements including administrative operation, diner satisfaction, safety and we’re even looking at how friendly the cooks are to the Soldiers they’re serving.”

Over the coming months, Army cooks Sgt. Reginald Bazile of Bunkie, Spec. Sierra Ball, also of Bunkie, Pvt. 1st Class John Johnson of Mamou, and Food Operations Sergeant, Staff Sgt. Karen Venson of Bunkie, will be competing against Army cooks from all over the country.

Bazile, head cook of the 1086th, said he considers this achievement to be the culmination of more than 30 years of experience in the kitchen. “I started cooking when I was seven, and I’m still passionate about it,” he explained.

“The ultimate goal of this program is to provide the American Soldier with quality food and quality dining facilities,” Gilmore said. “When Army cooks are encouraged to compete with one another, the winner is always the individual soldier.”

The International Food Services Executives Association, or IFSEA, provides judges for the annual competition.

The team will compete in the Phillip Conley National competition in October.

“If the national competition goes as smoothly as regionals, I don’t see any reason why we can’t take first place,” said Bazile.

In addition to the tremendous prestige that comes with being the recipient of the Phillip Conley Award, awardees also become eligible for thousands of dollars in scholarships to various culinary schools.

The Phillip Connelly Awards Program was established in 1968 to recognize excellence in Army Food Service.

It is named after the late Phillip A. Connelly, a leader in Food Service Management.

In addition to being the president of International Food Service Executives Association and the chairman of Armed Forces Service Committee, Connelly was awarded the 1962 Peter Gust Economou Award, the Navy Distinguished Service Award and the Army Outstanding Civilian Service Award.